Tigers backed by some distance

We look at the three main questions that will decide tonight’ s heavy weight clash:

WILL THE BUS BLUES HINDER ST KILDA’S CHANCES?

ST KILDA arrived at Gold Coast after a three-hour bus trip at 5 pm on Thursday.

The Saints are hubbing in Noosa, 220km from Metricon Stadium, where Richmond chose to play these mi-final.

“It’s 400m from where we stay,” Tigers coach Damien Hard wick said, which is almost centimeter perfect for the players at KDV Sports. The Tigers haven’t lost at Metricon since 2014 and are 6-0 there this year, while StKilda is 2-1.

It might be minor, but it is an advantage.

CAN THE SAINTS COVER RICHMOND’S TALLS?

THE Tigers are considering stretching St Kilda’s backline like a gymnast’ s ham strings.

If Dougal Howard goes to Tom Lynch and Call um Wilkie to Dustin Martin, who takes Jack Riewoldt?

Nick Coffield is a possible match-up for Riewoldt while Josh Battle is such a supreme athlete he could probably play on anyone.

Jack Darling exposed Coffield in the second quarter of

Round 17 and Jack Riewoldt has booted plenty of big bags against cousin Nick’ s Saints.

WHAT BEARING DOES ST KILDA’S ROUND 4 WIN HAVE?

NOT much. Back in June the Saints had Jake Carlisle, Jade Gresham, Dean Kent and Ben Long all playing while Richmond trotted out Josh Caddy, Jack Higgins, Jack Ross and Sydney Stack.

Most of those Saints are now unavailable.

The Saints won by 26 points and probably should’ ve won by more as Hardwick and Brett Ratten agreed that Dan Butler (3.2) and Tim Membrey (3.1) were thebes ton ground.